Expansion joint retaining means

ABSTRACT

THE RETAINING MEANS INCLUDES A NON-MAGNETIC FRAME PERMANENT MAGNET MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME AND EXPOSED ON ONE FLAT FACE THEREOF, A PAIR OF OPPOSED ARMS RESILIENTLY BIASED TOWARDS EACH OTHER AND WITH EACH ARM POSITIONING A ROLLER MEMBER THEREON ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS FOR RECEIVING AN EXPANSION JOINT THEREBETWEEN TO POSITION IT IN A BUILDING WHEN THE MAGNET MEANS ENGAGES A VERTICALLY EXTENDING FLAT FACED METAL COLUMN IN HE BUILDING.

1971 R. J. LAFEBER EXPANSION JOINT RETAINING MEANS Filed Nov. 4, 1969INVENTOR. RAYMON D J. LAFEBER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,621,553 EXPANEEION .IQEN'I RETAINING MEANSRaymond I. Lafeber, 3180 9th St., Quyahoga Falls, Ohio 4-4221 rhea Nov.4, was, Ser. No. 873,815 Int. (11. 523p 19/00 US. Cl. 292lltl l? (IlaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE This invention relates to the construction ofbuildings, and especially to the provision of buildings havingvertically extending expansion joints therein, and means methods ofpositioning the expansion joints in the buildings during construction.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION In nearly all commercial buildings made today,particularly where brick walls or surfaces are provided in thebuildings, vertically extending expansion strips are provided in thecourses of bricks as laid to construct the building. When embeddingthese expansion strips in the courses of bricks being laid, it isnormally a relatively difficult job for the mason laying the bricks toposition this expansion strip in a desired manner. That is, the expansion strips, which usually are made from a resilient layerapproximately /2 inch thick, or less, and about 3 inches deep, and withthe strips being approximately 4 feet long, such strips must be retainedin a vertical position exactly aligned vertically with a center lineprovided on an adjacent metal support column of the associated buildingstructure. Presently these expansion strips might be retained in placemanually, or by trying them to the associated column of the building, orbe retained in other relatively unstable manners with no exact, easilyused apparatus being available to position the expansion strips as thebuilding brick courses are laid therearound. Thus, masons do not like towork upon the portions of a building having an expansion strip thereinbecause it slows up their brick laying work and it also is diificult toposition the expansion strips in a proper manner.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved means particularly adapted for use in positioning expansionstrips in buildings during their construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved unitwhich is adapted to be magnetically secured to a building support columnand wherein a plurality of such units can engage with vertically spacedportions of an expansion strip for positioning it on a vertical axiswhile building up a face layer of bricks around the expansion strip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedmethod of positioning an expansion strip in a building during itsconstruction.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide improved, easilyadjusted means for releasably engaging an expansion strip and adjustingthe support action therefor as various courses of brick are applied to abuilding structure during its construction.

" ice Reference now is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view indicating the apparatus embodying theprinciples of the invention when operatively positioned in securing anexpansion joint or strip in a building under construction;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a securing unit of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a further modification of the inventionshowing it in operative position in a different type of a building underconstruction; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the securingmeans or device of the invention.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings andreferred to in the specification, corresponding numerals are used tofacilitate comparison therebetween.

INVENTIVE SUBJECT MATTER In general, the present invention relates to anovel and improved positioning means for expansion strips used in abuilding during its construction and retained permanently therein andwherein a plurality of devices are engaged with the expansion strip toposition it, temporarily, with each such device comprising anon-magnetic frame, permanent magnetic means carried by the frame andexposed on one face thereof, which magnet means has a planar facethereon exposed for use to engage a fiat surface of a verticallyextending metal beam in the building, a pair of opposed arms pivotallysecured to the frame and extending therefrom on a second face thereofopposite to the one face referred to hereinbefore, means biasing thearms towards each other, and a roller member journalled on each of thearms on a horizontal axis and adapted to be sprung apart to receive theelongated expansion joint therebetween and position it on a verticalaxis when the magnet means engage a vertically extending reference lineon the metal beam and the rollers are positioned on horizontal operativeaxes. These devices will be adjusted vertically upwardly as buildingbrick courses are laid to enclose the expansion joint in the buildingunder construction.

With reference to the details of the structure shown in the drawings,FIG. 1 shows a building B during the construction thereof, and whereinthe building has a conventional vertically extending metal beam 10suitably positioned therein and which beam 10 has at least one flat facesurface 11 provided thereon. Such surface 11, and the beam 10, bothextend vertically and the building is to have a layer of bricks I2provided thereon and normally spaced a short distance from the facesurface 11 of the beam 10. FIG. 1 shows a number of the bricks 12, andwith the bricks in the lowermost course being indicated by the numeral120, while the bricks in the next adjacent vertical course are indicatedby the numeral 12b.

In making most buildings today, wherein brick face surfaces are to beprovided therein, it is the usual practice to provide verticallyextending expansion joints or means therein. A typical expansion jointstrip 13 is shown, and it can be of any suitable length, such as 3 to 6feet and such strip is made from any conventional material, usually sometype of a resin-fiber composition or other suitable slightlycompressible material adapted to retain a stiff contour shape tofacilitate the handling thereof. The drawing shows that the strip 13 hasits lower end operatively positioned by and engaged between pairs of thebricks 12a and the bricks 12b. It is necessary that the expansion strip13 be maintained strictly on a vertical axis and be spaced from the beam10.

In order to achieve the desired mechanical positioning of the strip 13,FIG. 1 shows a pair of devices 20, 20 of the invention. Each of suchdevices comprises a magnetic clamp member used to secure the strip 13 inposition by engaging vertically spaced portions thereof and attaching itto the face 11 of the beam in spaced relationship thereto. It will beseen that the device positions the strip 13 recessed from the front faceof the layers or courses provided by the bricks 12 as the expansionjoint should not protrude therefrom but normally is recessed a shortdistance in relation thereto.

FIG. 2 shows typical details of one of the devices 20, and a frame orblock 21 is provided which may be made from plastic material or from anon-magnetic metal, as desired. This frame or block 21 has one flat orrear fiat surface 22 formed thereon and an elongate permanent magnet 23is suitably engaged with such frame 21 and normally has a face surface24 or ends that lies in a common place with the surface 22 and isadapted to abut against and engage the surface 11. This magnet 23 is ofany suitable construction and may be made from ceramic material from apermanent metal member, or other device of known construction andwherein a pair of elongate poles, indicated at N and S, are provided onthe face spaced parallel fiat ends of magnet arms 24 whereby magneticlines of flux extend therefrom and secure such frame 21 and the device20 snugly to the surface 11 of the beam 10 for the holding actiondesired. Naturally, any desired pole configuration can be provided onthe face of the magnet 23 as long as it will engage with an associatedmetal member. The faces 22 and 24 combine to provide a sizable bearingsurface for the device 20.

A pair of arms 25 and 26 are pivotally secured to the frame 21 and thesearms extend from a face 50 of the frame 21 opposite to the fiat surface22 thereon. These arms may be positioned, for example, on a verticallypositioned support pin or shaft 27 suitably engaged with the frame 21,which shaft 27 normally has a coil spring 28 operatively engaged withthe shaft and the associated ends of the arms 25 and 26 so as to bebiasing them towards each other in the free end portions of the arms 25and 26 in a conventional manner as shown in US. Pat. No. 2,244,344. Theembodiment of the invention shown has each of the arms 25 and 26provided with opposed upper and lower shelves or flanges 29 and 30provided thereon, which flanges can be used for positioning individualrollers 31 and 32 on the arms 25 and 26, respectively. It is animportant feature of the invention that the rollers 31 and 32 arepositioned on horizontal axes for free rotation thereof when. an articleis engaged between the rollers, and the device 20 is moved on a verticalaxis. The rollers 31 and 32 specifically may be positioned, for example,on a quadrilateral cage 33 that has little pins 34 extending from thetop and bottom portions of such cage 33 intermediate the ends thereof topivotally engage with the individual flanges 29 and 30 and operativelyposition the individual rollers. The cage 33 also includes ahorizontally extending support shaft 35 which connects to the cage 33 inany desired manner and with each of such shafts 35 individuallypositioning one of the rollers 31 or 32 thereon. The particular rollersshown comprise substantially spherical shaped members, but conventionalcylindrical rollers may be used, if desired.

In all events, the device 20 is adapted to have the arms 25 and 26sprung apart a short distance, or be forced apart as by sliding theexpansion strip 13 therebetween and providing relative vertical movementtherebetween. An edge portion of the expansion strip hence isresiliently engaged by each of the devices 20 and when a pair of thedevices 20, 20 are used, even a relatively lengthy expansion strip canbe vertically positioned in accurate manner prior to any engagement ofthe courses of brick 12 therewith. As courses of the bricks 12 areapplied to build up the face of the building the individual devices 20can be forced upwardly vertically and slide along the expansion strip toaid in positioning it as the building wall progresses in constructionand vertical height. Naturally,

these rollers 31 and 32 protrude from the associated support flanges 29and 30 whereby portions of the rollers abut each other or are adapted toengage the strip 13 when positioned therebetween. A center lineindicator L is provided on the frame 21.

Usually the arm 25 has a finger engaging hook or section 36 providedthereon whereby a worker can engage such section 36 and pull the arm 25away from the strip 13 to facilitate sliding one of the devices 20vertically.

The frame 21 is of relatively short depth between the flat surfaces 22and 50. Such arms likewise usually are of relatively short lengthprotruding from the frame so that a very short device has been providedto enable the expansion strip 13 to be positioned close to but spacedfrom the beam 10.

These arms 25 and 26 are shown positioned operatively in a slot 37extending horizontally of the frame 21 when operatively positioned andthe general positioning of these arms 25 and 26 by the shaft 27 andspring 28 is of a conventional construction for spring latches. An edgeof the expansion strip can be abutted against the surface 50 to aid inpositioning it parallel to the beam 10.

A modified construction is shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, wherein thebuilding Z shown being built includes a vertically extending beam 10aand a plurality of courses of bricks 40 forming a vertical face on thebuilding but with a plurality of concrete blocks 41 being used to form avertical wall positioned between the wall formed from the bricks 40 andthe beam 10a. In this type of a construction, normally adjacent ends ofthe blocks 41 have recesses 42 provided therein extending the heightthereof by which a resilient or flexible rubber or other expansioninsert 43 can be positioned. Such insert can be made from any suitablematerial and can be positioned between adjacent ends of the blocks 41which have a layer of concrete provided therebetween to space adjacentends of the blocks slightly. Such insert 43 is retained permanently inthe building wall under construction, and an expansion strip 13a isshown to be positioned on a vertical axis in the wall being formed bythe bricks 40. So as to position the expansion strip 13a in this spacedrelationship to the beam 10a, a frame 21a is formed from non-magneticmaterial and it has a permanent magnet 23a secured to and forming oneflat operative face thereof for engaging a surface of the beam 10a. Or,the magnet may form only a portion of the flat face of the frame 21a.The roller carrying arms 25a used to engage the expansion joint or strip13a are the same as described before and are carried by a sub-frame orblock 43 of any suitable construction. This sub-frame is secured to theframe 21a by a pair of parallel arms 44 and 45 that are adapted toengage associated arms 46 and 47 engaging the primary frame 21a. A pinor equivalent member 48 can extend through opposed holes of a number ofspaced holes formed in the arms 43 through 46 so that this sub-frame 43is adjustable with relation to the frame 21a. If desired, these arms 43through 46 can be fixedly engaged with their various frame means so thata horizontal positioning of the arms is facilitated, and the sub-frame43 and the arms thereon can be used to engage the expansion joint 13aand position it on a vertical axis while the brick face of the buildingis being constructed.

A further modified expansion strip retaining device f the invention isindicated at 2011 in FIG. 4, and in this instance, a frame 21b is formedfrom suitable non-magnetic material. The frame has a permanent magnet23b engaged with and forming all or part of one flat face thereon sothat the device is adapted to be magnetically secured to a metal beam 10or the like. In this instance, the frame 21b has a pair of arms 25b and26b pivotally secured thereto as by a pin or shaft 27b extendingvertically upwardly from and suitably secured to the frame 21b. Again, asuitable spring means (not shown) is provided to bias these arms 25b and26b towards each other at all times. A finger engaging hook or section36b is provided on the arm 25b to facilitate springing the one arm apartfrom the other arm for moving the device r expansion strip. In thisembodiment of the invention, an additional finger or thumb engagingmember or section 60 is provided on and suitably secured to the frame21b at one end thereof. Thus, a worker can engage the section 60 of thedevice 20b and facilitate sliding it vertically on an associatedpositioning beam to slide such device up along an expansion joint stripas a building wall is being constructed and still maintain the strip isdesired vertically centered relationship as the building wall is beingassembled. The arms 25b and 26b have sections 70 extending towards eachother and then being outwardly flared to engage an expansion jointstrip.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an uncomplicated, durable typeof an expansion strip positioning means has been provided by theinvention. This means is particularly adapted to be used on or when in avertical position engaging a flat surface on a vertically positionedcolumn or beam in a building. Hence the objects of the invention havebeen achieved.

I claim:

1. Expansion joint strip retaining means for use in positioning suchstrips in building walls comprising a nonmagnetic frame and having aflat face,

permanent magnet means carried by said frame and operatively carried onsaid flat face thereof to engage a flat surface of a metal beam in abuilding,

a pair of opposed arms pivotally secured to said frame and extendingtherefrom on a second face thereof opposite to said one face,

means biasing said arms towards each other, and

a roller member journalled on each of said arms on a horizontal axis andadapted to be sprung apart to receive an elongated expansion jointtherebetween and position it on a vertical axis When said magnet meansengage a metal beam to position said frame on a vertical axis and saidarms are pivotal in a horizontal plane.

2. Expansion joint retaining means as in claim 1 Where one of said armshas a release finger thereon extending away from its associated arm.

3. Expansion joint retaining means as in claim 1 Where a separatesub-frame is provided,

telescopically engaged means secure said sub-frame to said frame toadjust the spacing thereof, and

said arms are secured to said sub-frame.

4. Expansion joint retaining means as in claim 1 Where said arms eachhave an upper and a lower support section thereon, a rectangular wirecage means is secured to and extends between said support sections, anda horizontally extending roller support shaft is positioned by each ofsaid cage means and has a roller member journalled thereon.

5. Expansion joint retaining means as in claim 1 Where said armsprotrude from a flat surface of said frame which surface is parallel tosaid flat face and an edge of an expansion joint strip can be abuttedagainst said flat surface.

6. Expansion joint retaining means as in claim 1 Where said rollermember is spherical to aid in engaging an edge portion of an expansionjoint member between said roller members.

7. Apparatus for temporarily positioning expansion strips in a buildingwall during construction, which wall has a vertically extending metalbeam immediately there adjacent and characterized by a non-magneticframe,

permanent magnet means carried by said frame and exposed on one facethereof to engage a flat vertically extending surface of said metal beamby magnetic attraction, and

a pair of opposed arms pivotally secured to said frame and extendingtherefrom on a second face thereof opposite to said one face,

said arms being movable in a horizontal plane and being biased towardseach other, and

said arms being adapted to be sprung apart to receive and engage anelongated expansion joint strip therebetween and position it on avertical axis spaced from said beam to permit the building wall to bebuilt up and engage such expansion joint.

8. Expansion joint retaining means as in claim 7 where said magnet has aflat face surface and said frame has a fiat surface with said surfaceslying in a plane to engage in flat face on said beam.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8 where a pair of said frames are provided withsaid magnet means and arms thereon, said frames being movably positionedon a common ver tical axis on said metal beam to engage verticallyspaced portions of said expansion strip.

10. Expansion joint retaining means as in claim 8 where spring meansbias said arms toward each other, and one of said arms has a fingerreceiving means extending therefrom to facilitate moving one of saidarms to an expansion joint receiving position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,244,344- 6/1941 North et al.292-18 3,033,144 5/1962 Schmidt 269-8 3,241,220 3/1966 Cruckshank 29200J 3,526,943 9/1970 Erhardt, Jr 29-200 P THOMAS H. EAGER, PrimaryExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 269-8

